Toyota is increasingly confident of bringing new battery technology to the electric vehicle market that could shake up the industry.
The Japanese manufacturer has been working on offering solid-state electric vehicle batteries in future models, which could increase driving range and reduce charging times.
According to Toyota, as reported by Yahoo Finance, the batteries can travel up to 745 miles on a single charge, and recharging only takes about 10 minutes.
The company estimates that vehicles equipped with solid-state batteries may begin to hit the market in 2027 or 2028.
Such technology could have a real impact on consumer choice, with many unconvinced by the switch from cars powered by dirty fuels to cleaner electric vehicles due to concerns about driving range.
According to a Washington Post/University of Maryland poll, 74% of 1,404 respondents believe gasoline-powered vehicles are a better choice for trips of more than 250 miles.
At the same time, only 10% of respondents believe that pure electric vehicles provide convenience in charging.
But Toyota is taking steps to ensure the latter issue no longer becomes an issue. The brand announced a deal with Tesla in October to allow Toyota customers to use Tesla’s network of 12,000 Supercharger stations in North America.
The company will also adopt the North American Charging Standard (NACS) on its vehicles starting in 2025, making it easier to find standardized charging infrastructure when traveling long distances.
While Toyota has been touting solid-state battery technology, it has been cautious about how quickly it rolls out the technology.
According to the Financial Times, Toyota President Koji Sato said at a press conference in October: “I think the most important thing now is to launch [the solid-state batteries] into various parts of the world and we will look at expanding production from there. “
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, electric vehicles produce significantly less planet-warming pollution over their lifetime, including battery manufacturing, than gasoline-powered vehicles.
EV battery recycling is also receiving increased attention, with EVs having a much greater environmental impact because raw materials such as lithium and cobalt no longer need to be mined to make new batteries.
If solid-state batteries can be brought to market sooner rather than later, the potential to significantly reduce pollution caused by internal combustion engines could be huge.
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